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- Terrell Smith – Minnesota
Smith is a solid and sturdily built cornerback. He is disruptive on cornerback blitzes and is a hard nosed run stopper. Smith is fairly patient in zone coverage but struggles a bit more in press man coverage because he is slower to turn. There is certainly a lack of ball production but I do like when he is matched up versus tight ends. Most corners struggle with that but he can hold his own against size. Smith will primarily be a special teamer and depth but he could play outside corner in a zone heavy scheme.
Player Comparison: Lonnie Johnson Jr.
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Denver, Tampa Bay (Wild Card – Green Bay)
- Anthony Johnson – Virginia
Johnson has above average length and some strong pass breakup skills. He is a physical corner and a solid tackler. He can hold up adequately in man or zone coverage. There is some stiffness in his movement and he only has modest quickness. His footwork is still a work in progress and he has a tendency to get too grabby. Johnson will serve as outside corner depth for a while.
Player Comparison: Tyson Campbell
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Minnesota, Jacksonville, Tennessee (Wild Card – Las Vegas)
- Darius Rush – South Carolina
Rush has great length, good ball skills and high points the football in the air. He is physical and excels at blowing up screens. He is very skilled in zone coverage and happens to be impactful against the run as well. Rush can be a bit tardy or late to turn which results in some issues in man coverage. Rush is a modest athlete and needs to become more consistent with tackling. He will be some decent mid to late round outside corner depth for a zone heavy team.
Player Comparison: Lamar Jackson
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: San Francisco, Green Bay, New York Giants (Wild Card – Carolina)
- Cory Trice – Purdue
Trice is one of the largest corners in this class at 6’3” and a sturdy 215 pounds. He is a lockdown player in man coverage because of his length and ability to “out physical” wide receivers. He is active in run support and flashes some reliable tackling. Trice athletically is fairly average and also needs to diagnose plays a bit quicker. Trice lacked ball production in college but I have belief that could possibly change a bit. He is strictly an outside corner but will play some special teams additionally.
Player Comparison: Tariq Woolen / Richard Sherman (discount version)
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Seattle, Detroit, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Buffalo)
- Eli Ricks – Alabama
Ricks has lots of great intangibles and plenty of potential. He has no issue getting his hands on the football partly because he reads the QBs eyes well. Ricks has natural instincts and a high IQ which makes him a fit in multiple schemes and techniques. He can be effective in press man coverage or in zone. He possesses adequate length but lacks some ideal vertical speed. The major concern is that Ricks had a major drop off from his time at LSU and was reduced to limited playing time at Alabama. He is an outside corner that needs to find his way back into form.
Player Comparison: Herb Miller
Projection: 4th – 5th Round
Best Fits: Dallas, New England, Washington (Wild Card – Minnesota)
- Jaylon Jones – Texas A&M
Jones is a taller/longer corner who competes to get off blocks and is able to tackle and defend the run. He attacks the ball when in zone coverage and has fairly good range. I would like to see him be more comfortable playing tight and squeezing routes. He is a bit slower to turn out of his backpedal and because of that he might play too far off his receiver. There have been major flashes of potential but that is still a work in progress towards more consistency. Jones will be selected as outside corner depth.
Player Comparison: A.J. Green
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Arizona, Green Bay, Cincinnati (Wild Card – Denver)
- Kei’Trel Clark – Louisville
Clark is a corner with a history of excellent ball production in college. He has strong instincts and is effective as a tackler and blitzer. He is a risk taker that wants to make the big plays. Sometimes it pans out and sometimes he ends up biting on double moves, resulting in big plays for the opposition. He is a smaller corner who best translates to nickel with enough versatility to play outside if needed. Clark is coming off of an ACL tear so he might not be up to speed right away.
Player Comparison: Bradley Roby / Avante Maddox
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: New York Giants, Minnesota, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Los Angeles Rams)
- Taiwan Mullen – Indiana
Mullen might be one of the smallest corners in stature, yet he finds ways to bat down lots of passes. He is quick and shifty and comfortable in man coverage. As a tackler he does an excellent job of attacking low and wrapping up. He also shoots gaps well which makes him even more valuable inside at the slot/nickel position. He is often outmatched in 50/50 jump ball situations due to his lack of size. Mullen also has a history of ankle injuries which could be a cause for concern.
Player Comparison: Desmond King II / Corey Ballentine
Projection: 5th – 7th Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Minnesota, Tennessee (Wild Card – Jacksonville)
- Mekhi Blackmon – USC
Blackmon is a high IQ corner with the ability to play in multiple schemes and a variety of coverages. He has strong ball skills and an aggressive trigger plus attack. As a tackler he is known as a striker. Blackmon has great instincts in addition to quick feet and an ability to make quick adjustments. He lacks functional length and is very limited against the run with his smaller frame. There are also some prior injury concerns. Blackmon is probably best outside but if he improves his tackling specifically against the run, then he could have some added value as a nickel corner.
Player Comparison: Derion Kendrick
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Seattle, New York Giants, Tampa Bay (Wild Card – Detroit)
- Riley Moss – Iowa
Moss is a unique corner prospect with a great feel for zone coverage. He has some top notch ball skills and fantastic production from his time at Iowa. He jumps throwing lanes with excellent anticipation and is actually a fairly sound run defender. I like his competitive toughness and IQ. He is weaker in man coverage due to his lack of length. He could also sure up his tackling a slight bit. Moss displays sufficient enough athleticism to play outside corner in a zone heavy scheme. He will also get some reps on special teams throughout his career.
Player Comparison: Nate Hobbs / Troy Apke
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: New England, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco (Wild Card – Green Bay)
- Jakorian Bennett – Maryland
Bennett has a solid and sturdy build for a corner. He does a good job of reading receivers and the quarterback, then finding a way to make a play. As a willing tackler he is an asset against the run. He has a high IQ and the ability to play multiple positions. Bennett has some stiff hips and also gets overly grabby with receivers. He is most likely an outside corner, but there would be an argument to place him at either nickel or even safety. If a team is dealing with injuries in the secondary then Bennett would be a way to hold you over at any spot.
Player Comparison: Noah Igbinoghene
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington (Wild Card – Indianapolis)
- Darrell Luter Jr. – South Alabama
Luter is a corner that plays bigger than his actual size. He has long arms and above average athleticism. He also has the instincts and awareness to settle in nicely in the NFL. Luter is best as a zone corner with his ability to play the ball in the air. Lastly, he is a willing tackler. He lacks some short area quickness and has less long speed than the majority of this class. His weakness is man coverage specifically. He will add some nice outside corner depth for a zone heavy team.
Player Comparison: James Bradberry
Projection: 3rd – 5th Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Cincinnati, Los Angeles Rams (Wild Card – Miami)
- Alex Austin – Oregon State
Austin is a great athlete with experience at corner, wide receiver and on special teams as a punt and kick returner. His ball skills are top notch and he is a competitive and sticky cover corner. Austin is a fluid mover with top tier footwork and patience. He has such a natural NFL size and build. He needs to work on his tackling mechanics and also can get overly handsy. Sometimes he gets so focused on the football that he forgets about the receiver and lets them take over his air space. Austin is a bit of a project, but could certainly be worth it and turn into a great outside corner.
Player Comparison: Coby Bryant
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Seattle)
- Cameron Brown – Ohio State
Brown might be physically average in many categories, but he doesn’t back down from anyone. He is very comfortable up tight in press man coverage but can play off man as well. He has nice short area quickness and shows some flashes of physicality. Brown is willing to help in run support and does fine thanks to his sturdy build. He does have some tackling inconsistencies and has modest speed and length. Brown’s injury concerns hurt his stock the most. He will definitely provide outside corner depth but could also see the field fairly quickly.
Player Comparison: Josh Jobe
Projection: 4th – 6th Round
Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Miami, Green Bay (Wild Card – New England)
- Rejzohn Wright – Oregon State
Wright is a player with nice size, toughness and plenty of developmental upside. His instincts and competitiveness make him a good matchup versus bigger bodied wide receivers. Wright also displays plenty of patience and will trail closely but his arm length and leaping ability allow him to still make a play on the football. He has some issues with missed tackles and lacks straight away long speed. Despite batting down passes or forcing drops, Wright has some limited ball production in the form of interceptions. Wright could be a diamond at outside corner amongst many mid round selections.
Player Comparison: Amani Oruwariye
Projection: 3rd- 4th Round
Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas (Wild Card – Seattle)
- Tyrique Stevenson – Miami FL
Stevenson is a sturdy, physical and aggressive corner. He is a strong tackler with special teams experience. He continues to steadily develop which is promising for NFL scouts. Stevenson does have some tight hips and has limited transitional abilities in open space. He also needs to clean up some of the fundamentals in his game. Ideally he finds himself in a press man heavy scheme because zone is not his strength. Stevenson is a true outside corner.
Player Comparison: Jamel Dean
Projection: 3rd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Buffalo, Tennessee, Washington (Wild Card – Tampa Bay)
- Kyu Blue Kelly – Stanford
Kelly is an experienced college corner with many reps underneath his belt. He plays tight in man coverage and has the confidence to line up tightly at the line of scrimmage. He has showcased some good ball production and his play style fits well with the NFL game. Kelly plays patiently but is decisive when it comes time. He is not nearly as confident off ball or in zone compared to in press man. He has too many missed tackles over the years and also greatly struggled against top wide receivers like Jordan Addison. He is an outside corner that will likely play right away, but I think he would need to be a CB2 rather than be “the guy” right away.
Player Comparison: Paulson Adebo
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Philadelphia, Carolina, Denver (Wild Card – Arizona)
- Garrett Williams – Syracuse
Williams is a rangy corner who excels in zone coverage schemes. He plays through contact very well and also finishes off tackles downhill with the best of them. Williams is an aggressive player who plays the ball in the air well and happens to be quite disruptive at the catch point. He is coming off a recent ACL injury. Williams lacks the speed of most other corners and lacks ball skills when his back is to the football in man coverage. Williams is an outside corner with some free safety appeal. I think the position change to safety might be the best career move.
Player Comparison: Sean Murphy-Bunting
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: San Francisco, Minnesota, Jacksonville (Wild Card – New England)
- DJ Turner – Michigan
Turner lit up the combine with his blazing speed. It is evident that he is a gifted athlete with explosiveness and quick feet. In coverage he also has a sticky like glue quality about him. Turner has loose hips which allows him to turn quickly and greatly assists in man to man coverage, which is his strength. He is experienced in zone coverage which allows for some coverage versatility. Turner’s technique is pretty spot on and polished already. He is not as long or as heavy as other outside corners and he needs to get stronger in order to succeed at the next level. His ball production was limited at Michigan but regardless he will immediately be a valued CB2.
Player Comparison: Alontae Taylor / Kyler Gordon
Projection: 2nd Round
Best Fits: Detroit, Cincinnati, Las Vegas (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)
- Deonte Banks – Maryland
Banks is a bigger, physical corner with great length and outstanding reactionary athleticism. At Maryland he was playing as a press corner where his smooth and fluid movement could be best utilized. Banks has great awareness as well as the ability to quickly plant and turn. There are some injury concerns in addition to a lack of top end speed. Banks did not have great ball production and comes with some inconsistent technique. His potential as an outside corner screams long term starter if he stays healthy and technique is cleaned up.
Player Comparison: Eli Apple
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Indianapolis, New York Giants, Washington (Wild Card – Dallas)
- Emmanuel Forbes – Mississippi State
Forbes might just be the interception king of this draft class. He has top level ball skills and reads the quarterback’s eyes quite well. He often seems like he is a right place at the right time type of guy who has the versatility to play in man or zone coverage. His intelligence compliments his lanky/lean frame. The downside with the over aggressiveness from Forbes is that when he doesn’t make the interception, he may give up a very big play the other way. It is very much a mentality of being willing to give up some big plays and yardage in order to force a turnover. It’s a very boom or bust style of play. Sometimes Forbes misses some punches in press man as well. He will instantly be an outside corner starting in the league.
Player Comparison: Trevon Diggs (play style) / Greedy Williams (build)
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: Seattle, Arizona, Minnesota (Wild Card – Indianapolis)
- Cam Smith – South Carolina
Smith is one of the quickest corners when it comes to footwork and the ability to change direction with ease. He is blessed with excellent coverage instincts and some top notch ball skills. Smith is a tough player with adequate physicality. His play recognition is strong as well. Smith struggles with some tackling inconsistency and is a smaller/lean corner. Smith also is extremely grabby and gets overly aggressive. This could result in becoming a regular violator of pass interference calls or holding calls in today’s NFL. If some of this can be cleaned up then Smith will be a solid outside corner from this class.
Player Comparison: A.J. Terrell
Projection: 2nd Round
Best Fits: Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Detroit (Wild Card – Philadelphia)
- Clark Phillips III – Utah
Phillips is a quick and twitchy smaller corner. He has solid ball skills and strong coverage instincts. Phillips is not afraid to get his nose in the mix of crowds and is truly explosive when it comes to jumping routes underneath. He does have a lack of size and struggles with some missed tackles. There can also be an issue with getting off of blocks or bringing down bigger ball carriers. Phillips is best in man coverage and also has the versatility to play outside or at nickel corner.
Player Comparison: Asante Samuel Jr.
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: San Francisco, Miami, Houston (Wild Card – Las Vegas)
- Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson – TCU
Hodges-Tomlinson is an undersized corner at 5’9” but plays much bigger than his size. He is athletically gifted and covers ground quickly around the field. I would consider him a lockdown defender and a monster in man coverage. He shows off his physicality and versatility in every game. Hodges-Tomlinson can’t get up to jump balls against bigger wide receivers which is his main limitation. He also needs to improve on block deconstruction in addition to cleaning up his tackling. He can not only play outside corner, but also nickel or even safety if necessary. Perhaps Hodges-Tomlinson can play defensive back at the same level as his uncle LaDainian Tomlinson played running back. That’s a tall task but I believe this kid has the skill to do it.
Player Comparison: Roger McCreary (physicality) / Marcus Jones (size)
Projection: 2nd – 4th Round
Best Fits: Carolina, Atlanta, Jacksonville (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)
- Julius Brents – Kansas State
Brents has incredible length and size at 6”4”. He is a high level run defender with ability to be an effective safety if needed in that position. Brents closes distance rather quickly, is disruptive and a physical tackler. Due to his length, he does a good job of deflecting passes and is also a great asset in the red zone. Brents lacks some top end speed and struggles more in press man coverage because he is a little slow to turn. Brents might be a bit more of a scheme dependent outside corner but there are no questions whatsoever about him playing in a zone heavy scheme.
Player Comparison: Rasul Douglas / Ifeatu Melifonwu
Projection: 2nd – 3rd Round
Best Fits: New England, Seattle, Dallas (Wild Card – Denver)
- Kelee Ringo – Georgia
Ringo is known for checking all of the boxes on his measurables. Not only does he have excellent height and weight, but he has elite speed. Ringo is rarely beaten vertically and forces quarterbacks to make throws in tight windows. He locates the ball well in the air and is a master of the trail technique. He sells the fact that he is beaten then kicks it into another gear and recovers prior to making a play on the ball. Ringo possesses excellent instincts and has some zone coverage upside. He does struggle changing direction quickly and has a slow stop/start ability. He probably would have been a guaranteed first round pick in 2022 but he lost some steam this past season. He will still be drafted high and will be on the field immediately. I would like to see him transition to single high safety but I anticipate that he will still just be an outside corner in the NFL.
Player Comparison: Xavier Rhodes
Projection: Late 1st – 2nd Round
Best Fits: Minnesota, Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati (Wild Card – Indianapolis)
Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!
